I used to have little passion (激情) in my life. But what happened the other day changed my mind. It was then that I learned how 1 it is to have a passion in life.

That day I went home in Mom’s car. When Mom 2 at a red light, someone on the side of the road caught my eye. It was a man dressed 3 rags(破旧衣服). He was homeless. That didn’t interest me, 4 I had seen many people like him before. Those people usually looked unhappy and hopeless. But this man was 5 in some way. He was not sitting down with a 6 expression. Instead, he had a 7 in his hand and was dancing happily to the music. The radio seemed to be the most precious thing he had. “Mom, why does that man have a radio though he’s 8 ?” I asked

“He 9 it,” she replied.

“But why doesn’t he use the money to buy food or clothes? He 10 something that he didn’t need.” “Well, Sarah, sometimes food and clothes aren’t the most important”

That man must care so 11 about music that he bought a radio instead of food or clothes. I soon realized that 12 is the key to life.

Since then, I am always thinking of 13 is truly important in life. A home, a meal, clothes — these things are only 14 of the life. What we often forget is that we all need a joy, a light in a 15 day. We all need a passion which gives a person the happiness they need to keep going.

Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys 1 by to watch.

“What are you doing?” asked one of the 2 .

“We plan to dig a hole all the way through Earth!” one of the brothers answered 3 .

The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all through Earth was 4 .

After a long silence, one of the diggers 5 a jar full of spiders, worms and a wide types of insects. He removed the lid (盖子) and 6 the wonderful things to the visitors.

Then he said quietly and confidently, “Even if we don’t dig all the way through Earth, look at what we’ve 7 along the way!”

Their goal was far too ambitious (有雄心的), but it did cause them 8 . And that is what a goal is 9 — to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen.

But not every goal will be fully 1045 . Not every job will end 11 . Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every 12 will be realized. But 13 you fall short of aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I’ve found along the way! Look at the 14 things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!”

It is in the digging that 15 is lived. And I believe it is joy in the journey, and in the end that truly matters.

Every Friday I went to a senior nursing home. It seemed as if it needed 1 , but little did I know it would help me too.

During my first visit I helped to polish (擦光) some ladies’ nails . One woman asked me many questions. After she was satisfied with my 2 , she started to share some of her hidden 3 . By listening to her, I realized I had helped her a lot: she looked 4 from some of her past pains.

When she was finished, she told me something that 5 me to visit the nursing home every week. She said, “You’re the only person I was able to tell this to. The other volunteers are too busy to 6 me. You’ll come back next week, right？” After 7 blowing on her newly coated nails(指甲), I smiled and 8 , “Yes, I’ll see you next Friday.”

That day, I was gladdened by the 9 that I had helped somebody. I realized an action as 10 as listening became something much more.

During every second I spent there, I realized how much of a difference my 11 could have on the lives of others. The hardest part of living there is that it breaks the human 12 between those in today’s society and the nursing home.

Every moment I spend chatting is a chance to 13 that connection again, to share their worries, and to shape someone’s life. In turn, that 14 also shapes me. I not only learn about life and experiences outside of school, but also receive the 15 of being part of this process – this connection between humans.

Teenager Jake Deham was skiing with his family in the USA when he fell over and lost one of his skis(滑雪板). His family didn’t know that he had a problem. They 1 skiing. When they got to the foot of the mountain, there was no 2 of Jake.

Jake couldn’t find his ski 3 . In the end, he decided to 4 his other ski and walk down the mountain. But he couldn’t work out the right way to go.

It was now getting dark and he was a long way from any place of safety. He knew that he might die that night in the 5 temperatures. But Jake kept 6 . At home, Jake watched a lot of TV programmes about living in difficult situations. He remembered the 7 from these programmes and knew that he should build a hole in the snow. He made a hole and pointed(指向) it up the hill 8 the wind couldn’t blow into it. Outside his hole, the temperature 9 to a dangerous -15℃that night, but inside it Jake was safe from the cold.

But he had to get down the mountain. The 10 always said,“ If you are lost, you should find someone else’ s tracks(足迹) through the snow and 11 them.” “I wanted to live my life.” remembers Jake. “So I got up and I found some ski tracks and I followed those.” He walked and walked and finally he saw lights. Nine hours 12 he lost his ski, he found a team of workers who came to save him. He was safe!

His mum was very happy when she heard the news. 13 , Jake didn’t even have to go to hospital. He got through the terrible experience 14 any injuries(损伤).

So, the next time someone says that watching TV is a waste of time, think of Jake. Sometimes TV can 15 your life!

As I was in the chair by the window and felt the warm June sunshine on my arm, I had to remind myself where I was. If it was not because of the few medical instruments around, it didn't really look like a __1__ room. While looking at the carefully chosen wallpaper, I remembered back to that day, not so long before, when this adventure first began.

It was a cold October day. While leaving the school, my mother mentioned that she had gone to the doctor that day. "What for?" I asked, becoming nervous so I __2__ through all the problems in my mind. I wondered what problems my mother could possibly have.

"Well…" She stopped and my worry __3__ . "I'm pregnant."

"You're what?"

"I am having a baby."

I was speechless. I couldn't believe this happened to my parents when I was already in junior high school. It hit me that I would have to __4__ my mother, the mother who had been all my own for 14 years! I'd never wanted my mother to have another child after she had me. This was a selfish feeling, but when it came to my mom, I was unwilling to share even the smallest bit of her.

However, when I saw the joy in my parents' eyes, I could not help but feel excited and my joy showed on the outside. On the inside, though, I was trying to deal with my fear and anger.

My parents involved me in all the __5__ , form decorating the nursery to picking out names and deciding that I could be present for the baby’s birth. Though pregnancy brought excitement, it was __6__ to hear people keep talking about the baby. I feared that I would be pushed back when the baby came. Sometimes when I was alone, the __7__ was overcome（超越）by all the fear and anger for what this child would take from me.

Sitting in the delivery room that June 17, knowing the baby would soon be here, I began to feel all my insecurities（不安全）surface. What was my life going to be like? Would it be one endless baby-sitting job? What would I have to give up? Most importantly, would I lose my mother? The time to think and worry was rapidly melting away（消散）. The baby was coming.

It was the most unbelievable experience of my life, being in the delivery room that day, for birth is truly a miracle（奇迹）, full of happiness and expectation. When the doctor said that it was a girl, I cried. I had a baby sister, Emma.

All my fears and insecurities have passed now. I cannot explain how especial it is to have a __8__ person who wakes up with me and wave her little hand good-bye to me as I leave for school.

Now I realize there is plenty of love in my home for Emma. My fear and anger had been eased with the realization that she took away _9__ . Instead, she brought so much to my life. I never thought I could love a baby this much, and I would not _10__ the joy I get from being her big sister.

Frank was a very talkative little boy. He never saw a new thing 1 asking a great many questions about it.

His 2 was very patient and kind. When it was proper to answer his questions, she would do so. Sometimes she would say, “You are not 3 enough to understand that, my son. When you are ten years old, you may ask me about it, and I will tell you.”

The first time Frank saw an hourglass(沙漏), he was very much interested, but he did not know 4 it was. His mother said, ‘An hourglass is made in the 5 of the figure 8. The sand is put in at one end, and runs through a small hole in the 6 . The sand put into the glass will run through in an hour.

When Frank watched the little stream of sand, he was impatient, 7 it would not run faster. “Let me 8 it, mother,” said Frank: “It is lazy, and will never get through.” “Oh yes, it will, my son,” said his mother. “The sand moves down 9 , but it moves all the time.” “When you look at the 10 of the clock, you think they go very slowly, and so they do; but they never 11 .”

“While you are playing, the sand is running, grain(颗粒) by grain. The hands of the clock are moving, second by second. At night, the sand in the hourglass has run through twelve times. The hour hand of the clock has moved all around its face. This is because they keep working every 12 . They do not stop to think how much they have to do, or how long it will __13__ them to do it.

Now Frank’s mother wanted him to learn a little poem, but he said, “Mother, I can __14__ do it.” His mother said, “Study all the time. Never stop to ask how long it will take to learn it. You will be able to say it very soon.” Frank 15 his mother’s advice. He studied line after line, very busily; and in one hour and a half he knew the poem perfectly.

Some time ago, my wife (妻子) and I traveled to Sydney (悉尼) to visit my sister. We took 1 clothes than we needed and got on the train.

In front of us, in a face-to-face seat, 2 six young men in their early 20s. They were strong and 3 , and I disliked them at once. They laughed happily and loudly. They had a good time and they 4 a foreign language. As we went quickly 5 the countryside, I kept an eye on them when they joked around. Sometimes they took a look in our direction (方向). When two of them got 6 , I had a short sleep. The rest of them 7 to laugh and joke in their own language.

We finally arrived at our 8 , only one of them was still on the train. When I moved towards him with our heavy luggage (行李), he was 9 about us and stood up quickly and asked in English: “Want a hand with that, sir?”

He 10 the heavier bag up the station steps for us. We were pleasantly surprised and very grateful.

It was a cold windy winter day and I was walking home from work. My head pointed down against the 1 when I noticed an old lady. She was 2 on the sidewalk in her house slippers (拖鞋).

As I 3 her, I saw that she was well into her 80s, and she was holding some 4 in her hands.I walked on and arrived at the traffic light. Waiting there, I saw the mailbox 5 the street. The light turned green, but I pretended (假装) to check my phone and waited for her to catch up with me. In this neighborhood, even crossing with the green light was 6 . Drivers often drove 7 through red lights and stop signs.

I stayed there until she 8 me. I turned to her and touched her gently on the arm. She smiled and took my hand in hers and 9 it. Her small hand was soft and warm. Hand-in-hand, we were waiting for the 10 to change.

When the light turned green, we walked together slowly across the street, 11 the letters in the mailbox. Then I took her 12 across the street. As I walked the rest of the way home, I could still feel the 13 of her hand in my own.

People say the first language of all humans is 14 . A caring touch helps to make a bad situation 15 . And even now, every time I think of the old lady, I can still feel the power of touch.

This is a touching moment when a giraffe gave a sad goodbye to a dying worker. The 1 spent his whole life cleaning the giraffes’ home at a Dutch 2 . The 54-year-old worker had a cancer (癌症). He asked to put his hospital 3 in the giraffes’ home at the zoo. In a touching moment, one of the giraffes went to the man and 4 him a kiss goodbye.

Mario has 5 in the zoo for over thirty years. He asked for a moment to say goodbye to his workmates and the animals at the zoo. He had no 6 and he lived alone. A charity group helped to send Mario back to the zoo. They usually help 7 persons finish their dying wishes.

“It was very nice that we could do 8 to help his last wish come true,” Mr Veldboer said. “It was a very special moment. The giraffe came with 9 eyes. He looked at Mario for some time, and kissed him 10 .You saw him smiling.”

I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn’t like others to notice me. And if I was not told to have a seat by the teacher, I always 1 to sit at the back of the classroom.

All this changed after I joined a sports team. It began when a teacher suggested I join the basketball team. At first I thought it was a crazy idea because I didn’t have a good sense of balance, and I didn’t have the 2 to keep up with the others in the team and they would laugh at me. But because the teacher kept insisting on（坚持） my “ 3 for it”, I decided to give a try.

Getting up the 4 to try was only the half of it! When I first started 5 the practice courses, I didn’t even know the rules of the game. Sometimes I’d get confused (迷惑的) and take a shot at the wrong direction — which made me feel really silly. 6 , I wasn’t the only one “new” at the game, so I decided to learn the game, do my best at each practice course, and not be too hard on myself for the things I didn’t know.

I practiced and practiced. Soon I knew the 7 and the “moves”. Being part of a team was not so difficult. Very soon the exciting part for me was WINNING 8 I didn’t have enough confidence. With time, I learned how to play and made friends. I never had so much fun!

With more self-confidence comes more praise from teachers and classmates. I have gone from “ 9 ” in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself, 10 raising my hand — even when I sometimes wasn’t and not 100 percent sure I had the right answer. Now I have more self-confidence in myself.

Wang Bing, a 12-year-old boy, likes sports very much and does 1 in sports.

One afternoon, he is very glad 2 his father waiting for him after school when he comes out of the classroom. “Let’s go,” says Dad “I will 3 dinner and you can do your homework. Mum is still 4 .”

On their way 5 Wang Bing sees some boys skating in a park. “Can I go and learn skating, Dad?” asks Wang Bing “I’m sorry, my boy, you must go home and do your homework,” answers his father, “but I can buy you an ice cream”.

Then his father buys an ice cream 6 him. When Wang Bing wants to eat it, a fly(苍蝇)flies to 7 ice cream.

“Drive off the fly,” says his father, “ 8 very dirty.” Wang Bing says 9 a smile, “You don’t let me skate, 10 can you let him skate for a while?”

One afternoon, my son Adam asked me, “Are all people the same even though they are different in color?”

It was a serious question. I 1 for a while, and then said, “I’ll explain it sooner. Let’s go to a fruit shop. I have something interesting to show you.”

At the fruit shop, webought some apples in different 2 —red, green and yellow ones. After we got home, I told Adam, “It’s time to 3 your question now.” I put one apple of each kind colour on the table. Adam 4 carefully. He had a 5 look on his face.

“People are like apples. They come in alldifferent colors, shapes and sizes. On the 6 , some of the apples may notevenlook as delicious as 7 .” While I was talking, Adam was

8 each one carefully. Then, I took each of the apples and peeled(削皮) them, placing them back on the 9 , but in a different place.

“Okay, Adam, tell me which is which.”

He said, “I 10 tell. They all look the same now.”

“Take a 11 of each one. See if that helps you decide 12 one is which.”

He took big bites, and then a huge smile came across his face. “People are 13 like apples! They are all different, but once you take off the outside, they’re pretty much the 14 on the inside.”

Creativity is the key to a bright future. Here is __1__schools and parents can help their children to develop their creativity.

Drew worked for a company in 1925. At work he invented a kind of material __2__enough to hold things together. But his boss told him not to think more about the idea. Drew didn’t stop and finally, using his own time，made a kind of tape，which now is used everywhere by many people. And his company learned from its __3__.

Now the company asks its workers to __4__ 15 percent of their work time just thinking about and developing new ideas.

Creativity is not something one is just born with. A person with high intelligence does not mean that he uses it creatively. Creativity is the matter of __5__ your intelligence to think of new ideas that are good for something.

We know that many schools have tried to develop students creativity, but some teachers only want to develop students' reading, writing and math skills, and have to __6__ creativity for correct answers. Children from such schools can give correct answers, but they are unable to use __7__ to work out problems.

It is important to give children choices. From the earliest age, children should learn to make decisions and understand their __8__. Even though it’s choosing between two kinds of food __9__ lunch，decision-making helps thinking skills. As children grow older, parents should let their children decide how to use their time or spend their money, but not help too much if they make the wrong decision. The child may have a __10__ time, but that is all right.

Her small hand seemed lost in Grandma's as they walked along the road leading back home.

“Shall we rest for a 1 ? It's too hot!” the young girl said. “Let's sit over there under the tree.” Grandma said. Resting under the tree, they 2 a butterfly (蝴蝶) nearby. “Do butterflies feel hot?”she asked.

Grandma thought for a while and said, “I think they keep very 3 .”

“I wish I were a butterfly,” the child said. Then she began to flap (拍动) her arms. “But that 4 a lot of work!”

“You wish for a lot of things, child,” Grandma said.

“Yes, I do. ” she said. “I wish I had everything I wanted.”

“Do you get all you wish for all the time?” Grandma asked.

“No, I wish for a lot 5 nothing happens,” she said. “How I wish that Johnny Jeffries would stay home from school!”“What happened to him?” Grandma asked.

“Ah, his grandma died …” she stopped suddenly and 6 her grandma when her eyes were filled with tears.

“Grandma,” she tried to finish. “I wish that you would never …” Grandma held her. She never said a word 7 the young girl stopped. Then Grandma said with a beautiful smile, “Dear, sometimes in our life 8 don't come true, but it doesn't mean life isn't wonderful. If you want something, work for it and wish for it.”

“Then 9 do I work to keep you around forever?” the young child asked.

“Keep loving me, and don't waste time wishing.” They hugged (拥抱) each other again and continued on the road towards home.

In a small village, there lived a potter(陶工). He had a donkey. Every day his donkey would 1 soil from the field to his house. Since the field was quite far away, the potter would rest under a tree midway, 2 his donkey nearby.

One day, the potter forgot to take the 3 with which he tied the donkey every day. When he reached the tree, he thought, “How do I tie this donkey today? He might 4 if I sleep.” The potter decided to lie down 5 the donkey’s ears so that the donkey would not run away.

But 6 this way neither the donkey nor the potter was able to take a rest. A wise saint(圣人), who 7 to be passing by, saw the potter holding on to the donkey’s ears. Then the saint wanted to know what the problem of the potter was. When he was 8 what the problem was, the wise saint said, “Take the donkey to the place where you tie him every day. Pretend(假装) to tie him using a(n) 9 rope. I promise you that he won’t run away.” The potter did what the saint had said.

He left the donkey and went to take a rest. When he woke up, to his surprise, he found the donkey standing in the 10 place.

Soon the potter prepared to leave for home. 11 the donkey did not move. “What is wrong with this donkey?” shouted the potter in frustration.

12 , the potter saw the wise saint again. He ran up to the saint and told him about the donkey’s 13 behavior. The saint said, “You tied up the donkey, but did you untie him? Go and pretend to untie the rope with which you had tied the donkey.”

The potter 14 the saint’s advice. Now the donkey was ready to leave for home. The potter understood that donkey was a bonded(被束缚的) donkey. The potter thanked the wise saint and went home happily with his donkey.

The donkey is stupid and 15 are those people who can’t get away from old habits. Sometimes, the unseen rope is more confining(束缚的) than the one that can be seen.

Mr and Mrs Harris always spent their summer holidays in a small hotel at the seaside near their hometown. Last year however, Mr Harris made a lot of 1 in his business, 2 they decided to go to a foreign country and stay at a really good 3 .

They flew to Rome and 4 at a 5-star hotel late in the evening. They thought they would have to go to bed hungrily, because in that 5 hotel where they used to stay in the past ，no meals were served 6 seven in the evening. They were 7 to be told that the hotel served dinner until ten.

“Then what are the times 8 meals?”asked Mrs Harris.

"Well, madam, we serve breakfast from seven to eleven. lunch from twelve to three, 9 from four to five, and dinner from six to ten.”

“But that hardly __10___ any time for us to see the city !” said Mrs Harris.

Wang Bin is a 12-year-old boy. He likes sports very much and 1 well in sports.

One afternoon, he comes 2 the classroom and 3 his father waiting for him at the school gate. He is very 4 and runs to his father. "Dad, please don't wait for me after school next time. I can go home by myself(我自己)．

On their way 5 , Wang Bin sees some boys skating in a park. "Can I go and learn skating, Dad?" asks Wang Bin. "I'm 6 , my boy. You must go home and do your homework," answers his father, "but I can buy you an ice cream."

Then his father buys an ice cream 7 him. When Wang Bin wants 8 it, a fly(苍蝇)flies to the ice-cream.

“Drive off(赶走)the fly," says his father, "it's very dirty(脏).”But Wang Bin 9 with a smile, "You don't let me skate, but can you let him 10 for a while（一会儿）?”

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods. Unluckily, two of them fell into a hole. When the other frogs saw how _1__the hole was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs didn’t _2_ them and tried to jump out of the hole with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to _3__. Finally, one of the frogs believed what the other frogs were saying and_4__. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as__5__ as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs shouted at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and 6_made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said,” Didn’t you _7__ us?” The frog explained to them that he was_8_. He thought that they were__9__ him all the time.

This story teaches us two_10_:

1.There is power of life and death in _11_. An encouraging word to someone who is_12__ can lift him /her up and help him/her make it__13__ the day.

2.A destructive(破坏性的) word to someone who is unhappy can be what it takes to _14__ them.

Be careful of what you say. Speak life to these who cross your path . It is sometimes _15__ to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Remember, anyone can say words that can encourage another person to continued his/her way in difficult times.

It flew and flew when it suddenly saw a little _____1____ flower, whose face was full of smile. Not knowing why, the bird asked the little flower, “You’re going to die. Why are you still so_____2____?

“Because I will achieve my ____3____,” said the little flower.

“_____4___ is your dream?”

“To produce sweet fruit.”

Then the little bird saw it: happiness is a ____5____ in the heart.

The bird continued flying and saw a lame（瘸的） duck ___6___ a little duck find the way back home. Although it was disabled, it had a smiling face.

“I’m happy because I can help_____7___ ,” said the lame duck.

So the bird saw it: happiness is a love in the heart.

The bird kept flying and suddenly saw a spider climbing up a ____8_____. The spider fell off the wall halfway, but it kept ___9___ again and fell off again. Even so, the spider didn’t ____10___. The little bird asked the spider in surprise, “you ____11__ again and again, why don’t you have pain ___12___ happiness on your face?”

“As long as I keep making my ____13____ , I’ m able to climb up it. ____14____ this, I’m so happy,” said the spider.

The little bird saw it: happiness is a faith(信念) in the heart.

So the little bird ____15__ looked for happiness because it had seen the truth: happiness is not in the faraway place but in your own heart.

Do you often think of your parents? You may say, “Of course, I 1 . I love my parents. I often 2 a present for my mother on Mother’s Day and on Father’s Day I give my father 3 , too.” But what about the other days of the year?

In my family, my parents like 4 very much because my aunt and uncle come back from Beijing to see them. All the family members get together. They are very happy. In the evening, we eat moon cakes and watch the 5 .

I have a friend. Her parents 6 in another city. One day, I went to see her, and we had a nice talk. Then she wanted to 7 . So she dialed(拨打) the number, but she put down the phone. 8 about 15 minutes, she dialed the number again. “Hi, Mom…”

Later, I asked, “9 did you dial the number twice?” She smiled, “ My parents are old and 10 , so they can’t get close to the telephone quickly. I always do so when I call 11 . I only want to give them enough time to 12 the phone.”

My friend is a good girl. She is always 13 about her parents. You also want to be a

14 child, right? Please remember to 15 your parents any time, not only on some important days.